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Experience a natural, yet cushioned ride with the Altra Paradigm. Featuring a padded midsole for high mileage protection, this neutral shoe is built with a zero-drop design to promote a natural footstrike. A wide, foot-shaped upper provides plenty of space for your toes to splay, and a seamless construction keeps you running in lasting comfort.

Natural Ride System (NRS) design includes a more natural, foot-shaped last, zero millimeter heel to toe drop, and metatarsal-specific shapes in the outsole to assist in proper foot mechanics and allow for more natural foot movement.

Natural Foot Design follows the natural shape of the foot for ultimate comfort.

OUTSOLE

FootPod Outsole follows the natural construction of the human foot for maximum flexibility and a responsive ride.

UPPER

Quick Dry Air Mesh wicks water away from your foot while remaining light and breathable.

Asymmetrical Lacing Design follows the shape of the foot for improved fit and feel.

Contour Footbeds are 5mm-thick removable insoles designed for runners needing more traditional support and a molded arch.

Strobel Last with the upper stitched to full length fabric for a comfortable underfoot feel.

Comments: I ran IMLP in the Hoka and the instability and tightness in the toe box really had my feet aching. I switched to the Altra Paradigm and I am running pain free and happy again. Great cushioning, better stability and the toe box are far superior to the Hoka.From: Jeff, Portland, OR, USA. February 27th 2015

Comments: I wasn't so sure about maximum cushion shoe, but after trying the Olympus, I knew I had to try the Paradigm too. This shoes has been my long run/ultra marathon dream shoe. Super light and cushy you feel like you are floating on air. Would highly recommend.From: Emir, Flourtown, PA, USA. January 4th 2015

Comments: Switch from Asics Nimbus to the Paradigm. It took about 3 weeks for my feet to comfortable running in these shoes. I felt pain in my arches the first few runs but became less and less with each run. I'm a heal striker trying to convert to forefoot and this shoe makes it a lot easier. I have really grown to love these shoes. They are great on trail runs - very stable footing. Perfect for forefoot runners. I'm 6'1" 195, 20 to 40 miles a week runner. I wear the same size as I did in the Asics Nimbus shoes.From: Terry, Phoenix, AZ, USA. October 28th 2014

Comments: I've put about 300 miles into these shoes so far. I'm 6'0" 150 lbs and I've really enjoyed this shoe so far. The shoe feels very soft underfoot without sapping too much of your momentum on footstrike. It's definitely nice having all the soreness in your muscles instead of your joints after a 20+ mile run. They're also surprisingly light for their size. The zero drop helps to keep my form and cadence from getting sloppy, and the toebox is great for wide-footed individuals like myself. My only concern is that the upper doesn't fit very snugly over the foot, even after cinching down all the laces. Still it hasn't interfered much with my runs--still injury free! I'm strongly considering running my next marathon in these.From: Jon, Arlington, VA, USA. August 20th 2014

Comments: Just bought these shoes locally. Went out for 5 miles this morning, fastest run I've had in a while. Outer soles are a stiffer than the Olympus but it is a road shoe. The biggest surprise was the fit....I have a 9-1/2 Olympus pair and they fit well, had to go down a 1/2 size to a 9 with Paradigm because toebox was SO BIG!! Try on in a store first if you can to get correct sizing, not sure why these are so much bigger than the Olympus.From: Todd, Lexington, KY, USA. August 5th 2014

Comments: If you're a high mileage, mid or forefoot striker, you need to try these. I wore a hole through a pair of Hoka Bondi 2s last Summer, and having now fully migrated to zero drop (but NOT minimalist), I think the Altras fill the gap well for those of us who want zero drop but still cushioned shoes. Here's how the Paradigm shoes are better than Hoka Bondi: * better outsole with actual rubber; * better upper - more flexible, feels more breathable * lighter weight * much less heel cushioning, which sticks way out on the Hokas and inhibits forefoot striking * EVA cushion is more firm and boucey, not mushy and pillow-like; easy to run fast in the Altras * wide forefoot shape * consistent size fits across shoes (9.5 in Paradigm is same 9.5 in Instincts) Overall, I'm very happy with these, providing a perfect shoe for your long distance runs and recovery runs. I rotate these these with Altra Instinct 2.0. I'm 5'11 150 and run 40-50 mpw. From: RJ, Washington DC, USA. July 10th 2014

Comments: I have just under 100 miles in these and I'm impressed. I turn 40 this year and the Paradigm's cushioning really feels good on my daily runs. I'm 6' 1" 160 lbs. and this shoe's cushioning is something I have never felt before. I went through two pairs of Torins, and although I liked them, they didn't have the same floating on clouds feel of the Paradigm. The stack height doesn't feel weird or bulky. I've been running in 90+ degree heat and I haven't noticed my feet getting hot, so they obviously breathe well.From: Andy, SC, USA. June 20th 2014

Comments: Really enjoyed this shoe. Took it out on a 7.5 mile run on dirt roads, trails and paved roads. Love the wide toe box, it really is like nothing else out there. They have a lot of cushioning, but are by no means soft shoes. They do not have the Hoka pillowy feel to them, but definitely have a good amount of material underfoot. The zero drop is awesome, if you're used to it. I really enjoyed running in these shoes, as they feel lighter than the Hoka's and I didn't feel like I was losing energy due to too much cushioning. Definitely would recommend them.From: Brian, New Jersey, USA. June 3rd 2014

Premium shoes are for runners who run daily and/or run high-mileage. Premium shoes use high-end materials and the latest technology to enhance comfort.

Everyday shoes are for runners who run daily and/or run high-mileage. Everyday shoes use time-tested technologies and materials to meet the needs of consistent running.

Performance shoes are for runners who want shoes for faster paced training, such as tempo runs and interval workouts. Performance shoes are also suitable for daily training but will tend to wear faster than Everyday and Premium shoes.

Racing shoes are for runners looking for peak performance in racing 5K to marathon distances and beyond. Racing shoes are also suitable for fast-paced interval sessions. Durability is sacrificed to save weight.

Surface:

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Surface

Road shoes are designed for running on asphalt and concrete.

Road-Trail shoes are designed for running on asphalt, concrete and well-groomed, broad trails.

Hard Trail shoes are designed for running on hard, natural surfaces such as granite, sandstone, rocky terrain and hard-packed dirt.

Varied Trail shoes are designed for running on a mixture of natural surfaces from rocky, to loose dirt, to wood chips and similar.

Soft Trail shoes are designed for running on soft ground such as muddy terrain and damp, grassy fields.

RoadRoad/TrailHard TrailVaried TrailSoft Trail

Heel-Toe Offset:

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Heel-Toe Offset

Heel-Toe Offset refers to the height difference between the heel and the forefoot of the shoe. The heel is usually higher than the forefoot but is never lower than the forefoot. Some runners believe a lower offset leads to more efficient running. Traditional running shoes have 10-13mm offsets. Moving from higher to lower heel-toe offsets may require a transition period.

0mm1mm - 2mm3mm - 4mm5mm - 6mm7mm - 8mm9mm - 10mm11mm+

Stack Height:

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Stack Height

Stack height refers to how much shoe is between your foot and the ground. For this search, stack height refers to how much shoe is under your forefoot, as the heel height will be equal to or greater than the forefoot height.

Barefoot: 1-8mm. The shoe generally does not have a midsole and feels like there is no cushioning. This shoe is all about feeling the ground.

Minimal: 9-13mm. The shoe has a thin midsole but there is a lack of cushioning. Racing shoes and minimalist shoes are common here and there is a feeling of being connected to the road.

Low: 14-18mm. The shoe has a midsole and may have added cushioning technologies. Performance and trail shoes are common here and there is still a good feel for the ground.

Medium: 19-23mm. The shoe has a traditional midsole height. Everyday and Premium shoes are common here and cushioning technologies are prevalent. Feeling of the ground varies.

High: 24-29mm. The shoe has a thick midsole and extra cushioning. There is less feel for the ground and more feel of the shoe.

Maximal: 30mm plus. The shoe has an extremely thick midsole and extra cushioning. The focus is on feeling a soft shoe and not really feeling the ground.